1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a communication apparatus for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle""s communication apparatus capable of further deepening the feeling of intimacy of the driver and/or the owner of the vehicle with the vehicle, and the affection of the driver and/or the owner of the vehicle for the vehicle. It should be noted that the driver and/or the owner are regarded as a generic group referred to hereafter as the user.
2. Description of Background Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 11-250395, there has been proposed an apparatus for displaying an expression subject resembling a human being, an animal or an animation character in a vehicle as a planar or cubic picture and making the user aware of information such as the state of the vehicle and the condition of a road by means of an expression subject, which is referred to hereafter as a pseudo creature. Particularly, in this Japanese Patent Laid-open specification, a plurality of kinds of information different from each other is reported to the user through a plurality of pseudo creatures.
By virtue of the conventional apparatus described above, an expression of a pseudo creature is expected to allow the user to recognize information such as the condition of the vehicle as information of intimacy. Since displayed pseudo creatures are limited to only those set in the vehicle in advance, however, the expression of the pseudo creatures cannot be said to be necessarily sufficient for satisfying the user""s strong desire for a variety of hobbies. In addition, since the user is capable of communicating with such pseudo creatures only while the user is present inside the car, it is feared that the user""s affection for the car unavoidably weakens.
It is thus an object of the present invention addressing the problems described above to provide a vehicle""s communication apparatus capable of satisfying the user""s strong desire for a variety of hobbies, serving as an effective means for arousing the user""s affection for the vehicle and sustaining a good running condition of the vehicle.
In the conventional vehicle communication apparatus, the pseudo creature communicates with the driver only through a picture and a sound. Thus, as a means for giving the driver an impression that the vehicle and the pseudo creature are one, the conventional communication apparatus is not a sufficiently complete apparatus. In particular, unlike a four-wheel vehicle, a motor-cycle does not have a cabin. Thus, the introduction of light and sound generated by external sources to the driver of a motor-cycle is not restricted. As a result, there are many cases in which, communication is difficult to establish merely by using pictures and sounds only.
It is thus a second object of the present invention to address this problem to provide a vehicle communication apparatus capable of arousing the user""s intimacy with and affection for the vehicle by giving the user an impression that the vehicle and the pseudo creature are one.
In the conventional vehicle communication apparatus, the pseudo creature communicates only with the driver but not with other users of the vehicle.
It is a third object of the present invention addressing this problem to provide a vehicle communication apparatus capable of implementing not only communications between the pseudo creature and the user, but also a variety of kinds of communication between the pseudo creature and other communication partners including users of other vehicles.
In order to achieve the first object described above, the present invention provides a vehicle communication apparatus allowing a pseudo creature set in the vehicle to communicate with a communication partner outside the vehicle through a function of the vehicle. The communication apparatus has the following characteristics. As a first characteristic, the pseudo creature is introduced from electronic media outside the vehicle through a communication means mounted on the vehicle. As a second characteristic, the electronic media is a media connected to the Internet. As a third characteristic, the electronic media is a personal computer or a computer game machine and the pseudo creature is a character making its appearance in a game.
In accordance with the first to third characteristics, the pseudo creature can be changed to a variety of forms selectable as one, for setting as the pseudo character. More particularly, in accordance with the second characteristic, it is possible to acquire data required for setting a pseudo creature from the Internet. In accordance with the third characteristic, the user is allowed to select a character the user likes from a game, and adopt the character in the vehicle.
In addition, as a fourth characteristic, besides the first characteristic, the present invention also has a data-transmitting means for transmitting running data of the vehicle to the electronic media by way of the communication means. In accordance with the fourth characteristic, the running data transmitted by the data-transmitting means is used in the operation of the electronic media, making it possible to typically enhance the function of the electronic media.
Furthermore, as a fifth characteristic, the present invention has a communication means capable of communicating with an electronic information-processing apparatus outside the vehicle. Representative examples of the electronic information-processing apparatus are a telephone, a fax machine and a personal computer. As a sixth characteristic, the electronic information-processing apparatus is a personal computer set as a means used in an organ doing maintenance of the vehicle.
In accordance with the fifth and sixth characteristics, the electronic information-processing apparatus processes information received from the vehicle so as to raise the value of the utilization of the vehicle. In the case of the sixth characteristic, for example, the maintenance organ such as a vehicle dealer is capable of providing data such as information on vehicle maintenance based on information received from the vehicle.
In order to achieve the second object described above, the present invention provides a vehicle communication apparatus wherein a pseudo creature set on the vehicle is capable of communicating with a communication partner outside the vehicle through a function of the vehicle. As a seventh characteristic of the present invention, a functional component of the vehicle known as an auxiliary instrument is provided to function as a communication means of the pseudo creature, and in order for the auxiliary instrument to represent an intention and a feeling of the pseudo creature, the auxiliary instrument is driven by a state of expression set in advance.
As an eighth characteristic of the present invention, the apparatus is characterized in that the auxiliary instrument functioning as a communication means is at least either a light device or a warning device. As a ninth characteristic of the present invention, a light device provided on a front portion of the vehicle to serve as an auxiliary instrument is blinking when expressing a movement of an eye of the pseudo creature. As a tenth characteristic of the present invention, a light device provided on a rear portion of the vehicle to serve as an auxiliary instrument is blinking when expressing a movement of a tail of the pseudo creature. As a eleventh characteristic of the present invention, a warning device serving as an auxiliary instrument is activated when expressing a cry of the pseudo creature.
In accordance with the seventh to eleventh characteristics, an intention and a feeling of the pseudo creature, that is, the state of the vehicle, or a response to an access made by an external accessor are expressed in the external accessor by a functional component provided on the vehicle in advance. Thus, the driver is capable of easily recognizing information expressed by the pseudo creature. The light devices can be activated to generate pseudo movements of the eyes and the tail of the pseudo creature whereas the warning device can be actuated to produce a pseudo cry of the pseudo creature. As a result, it is possible to impress the driver that the entire vehicle and the pseudo creature are one and, hence, to further deepen the intimacy of the driver with the vehicle.
In order to achieve the third object of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle communication apparatus that has a pseudo creature set in the vehicle and capable of communicating with a communication partner outside the vehicle through a function of the vehicle and, as a twelfth characteristic of the present invention, the pseudo creature has a communication means for communicating with a pseudo creature set in another vehicle.
As a thirteenth characteristic, the vehicle communication apparatus provided by the present invention further has a recognition means for recognizing a position of a pseudo creature set in another vehicle and a display means for displaying the recognized position of the pseudo creature set in the other vehicle. As a fourteenth characteristic, the vehicle communication apparatus provided by the present invention further has a notification means for informing a pseudo creature set in another vehicle of its own state.
In accordance with the twelfth to fourteenth characteristics, the user is capable of communicating with not only a pseudo creature set in its own vehicle but also a pseudo creature set in another vehicle. Particularly, in accordance with the thirteenth characteristic, the user is capable of knowing the position of a pseudo creature set in another vehicle and, in accordance with the fourteenth characteristic, the user is capable of informing a user riding another vehicle of its own state.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.